Wheel for road-vehicles.



No. 827,930. PATENTED AUG. 7, 1906.

G. MIDDLETON. WHEEL FOR ROAD VEHICLES.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 10, 1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

.d/ I ziwewr Gaye No. 827,930. PATENTED AUG. 7, 1906.

' 'G. MIDDLETON.

WHEEL FOR ROAD VEHICLES.

APPLICATION FILED JULIO, 1005.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT orrron.

Gnomes MIDDLETON, F PUTNEY, LONDON, ENGLAND.

WHEEL FOR ROAD-VEHICLES.

Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed January 10, I905. -Seria1 No. 240,508.

Patented Aug. 7, 1906.

To all whom it may concern.- Be it known that I, GEORGE MIDDLETON, coach-builder, a subject of the Kin of Great Britain, residing at Putney, Lon on, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements Relating to Wheels for Road- Vehicles, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to pneumatic hubs for the wheels of automobiles and other roadvehicles. i

As hitherto constructed pneumatic hubs have proved unsatisfacto and unreliable and have conse uently "h een abandoned owing to serious efects which totally recluded their use. The chief defectsweret eir instability'1l. e. the plane of the wheel did not remain at right angles to the axle when in useand, beside this, the pneu fnatic tube frequently became cut, so that it no longer held air, the internal arts of such hubs ing the pneumatic tu e and causing lea These and many other defects have prevailed, so that at the present time,

although in great demand, there are few, if

any, pneumatic hubs in actual use or for sale.

The object of my invention is to effect improvements in the construction and arran ement of .such hubs and their parts whereby to overcome the above-mentioned and other defects which have hitherto rendered pneumatic hubs impracticable.

In the accompanyin drawings, Fi ure 1 illustrates my improve pneumatic hu with some of the parts detached. Fig. 2 is a sectional front view, and Fig. 3 is a sectional side view.

a b are flanges, one of which, I), may be integral with the tubular axle box or sleeve 0,. (Z is a flanged s oke-drum which is free to move transverse y to the axis and parallelly between said flanges a b for a limited distance. The drum dis formed with openings e for the spokes e, the intervening spaces'being occupied by hollow blocks d,'the walls of which are, as will be understood, cast or formed in one piece with the sides, and

flanges cl (1 of the drum (1.

{1 represents a pneumatic tube or ring w 'ch, as shown, is com osed of a metal rim f which encircles't he sleeve 0 and is free to rotate thereon, and an inflatable tube f,

which is preferably inclosed in or formed in-- tegral with an inextensible outer cover f, se-

cured to said rim in any suitable manner,

'matic ring is inflated.

screw h.

(Z is detachable, s'o'as to allow of the pneumatic ring beiniremoved or inspected.

'5 is the valve y means of which the pneu- Asshown, the flanged rim f is located in its proper position by the inner surfaces ofthe hub-flanges a b. The rim may be other wise constructed or shaped so that it not only restricts the spreading of the baseof the pneumatic ring, but also so that it is heldin position by the inner surfaces of the flanges cl (i such as by increasing the depth of the rim at its= sides. By these means it is impossible for the pneumatic ring to become nipped or cut by the action of the drum between the flanges a b. The rimf, being free to rotate u on the axle-sleeve, also prevents any possi le creeping action of the pneumatic ring with re ard to the drum (1, and therefore obviates t e usual tearing of the valve from the pneumatic ring, due to such creeping action around the sleeve.

The two flanges a b are held together by bolts g passing through alternate hollow blocks (1 and-secured. by nuts 9, only suflicient play being allowed between the drum dand the flanges a b to allow of a short motion .of the drum transversely with respectto the axis Without permitting any appreciable side lay or instability. Antifriction balls or roll the drum and the flanges. The bolts 9 may be otherwise arranged'for instance, outside the periphery of the drum 6., between the s okes and passing through eyes formed on the flanges a b. The flanges a b may be secured "in their relative positions by a set- I claim '1. In a pneumatic hub for road-vehicles, a rim constructed with sideflanges to restrictthe lateral spreading of the inflatable tube,

said rim being free to rotate upon the axlesleeve. 2. In a pneumatichub for road-vehicles, a

pneumatic ring comprising aninflatable tube,

ers may in some cases be fitted between an inextensible outer cover "for said tube, a

rim mounted free upon the axle-sleeve and flanges thereon adapted to restrict IIO said flanges, a spokedrum the spreading of the sides of said cover, and

prising a pair of-flanfes, an axle-sleeve integral with one of sai flanges, a spoke-drum located between said flanges, a metal ring having flanges thereon and adapted to rotate around the axle-sleeve, a pneumatic ring located within and supportin drum and detachably secure tothe metal rim by the said flanges, and means to retain said partsinworking osition. 4.. A pneumatic hu comprising a pair of flanges, an axle-sleeve integral with one of ocated between said flanges and formed with hollow'blocks leavingopenings or sockets between them for theinner ends of the spokes, a flan e integral with said drum, a flange detachab e from said drum, a metal rim mounted upon the axle-sleeve, a pneumatic ring detachably' fixed to said rim and bearing against'theinner periphery of said spoke-drum, means loeating the position of said'gim with respect said spokeeat-7,930

to said.- flanges and drum, and means connectmg said drum to said flanges so as to ro- 'tate therewith while allowing of a limited motion iii a plane transverse to the axis.

:5. The combination with a pair of flanges and an axle-sleeve integral with one of said flanges, of a spoke-drum constructed with a air of sides and flanges connected by hollow locks leaving openings'or sockets for the ner ends of the spokes, a pneumatic ring fixed in a metal mounted upon said axlesleeve, flanges upon said rim extending to the axle-flanges adapted to prevent longitudinal or axial movement of said "rim u on sai axle-sleeve, and means such as the 'olts and nuts described connecting said axle-flanges with said drum in the manner set forth.'

In testimony whereof I have hereunto. set

nesses.

Witnesses:

GEORGE C. DOWNING, WALTERLJ. SKERTEN.

my hand in presence of two subscribing wit- 

